JCIT, a production-ready field tested non-proprietary software definable radio

The Naval Research Laboratory (NRL) has developed a multi-channel, multi-mode, multi-band modular communications terminal called the Joint Combat Information Terminal (JCIT). The JCIT is the heart of the communications system for the Army Airborne Command and Control System (A2C2S). The production-ready JCIT has been field tested by the US Marine Corps (USMC) in command and control variants of the Light Armored Vehicle (LAV) and Amphibious Assault Vehicle (AAV). The functionality, expandability, and modularity of JCIT provide state-of-the-art communications for military and civil agencies. Interoperability with SINCGARS, HAVE QUICK, HF, National Satellite Intelligence Broadcasts, military precision GPS, IEEE-802.11, direct broadcast by satellite (DBS/GBS), air traffic control, police, fire, and civil maritime has been demonstrated in the field and in the laboratory. The JCIT architecture was designed to meet current and future military command, control, communications, computers, and intelligence (C41) requirements. It provides a total communications system solution from the antenna to the user the modules developed for the JCIT are not proprietary. The architecture is built from a common set of hardware and software modules. Software allows the hardware to interoperate with other legacy or future radio systems on operator command hardware and software insertion to meet future requirements is supported by the architecture. The architecture is readily adaptable to new platforms, utilizing unchanged hardware and software modules. Although the architecture is not considered "open" by the industry standards, full Government owned interface control documents exist that allow any third party to build hardware or software components for the system. Eight-channel vehicular/airborne units and two-channel vehicular/manpack units have been built. These units share hardware modules and software applications without modification.